Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
76.8% Acceptance Rate
Elizabethtown College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
76.8%Acceptance Rate
3.66Avg GPA
1190Avg SAT
24Avg ACT
$49,318Annual Cost
$62,399Grad Salary
19.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
76.8%
Avg GPA
3.66
Avg SAT
1190
Avg ACT
24
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
SAT Middle 50%
1090–1280
ACT Middle 50%
19–29
Need-Based Aid
19.2% receive Pell
Elizabethtown College is a private, liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania known for its commitment to the motto "Educate for Service." With a strong emphasis on critical inquiry, community engagement, and character development, the college offers a supportive campus environment that fosters intellectual and personal growth. Its focus on providing a high-value, well-rounded education makes it a meaningful choice for students seeking to prepare for leadership and impact in their professional and community lives.
Elizabethtown College Acceptance Rate
Elizabethtown College runs an open-access admission policy. With a 76.8% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 76.8% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.66 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.46 – 3.65
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.21
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Elizabethtown College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Elizabethtown College is November 15 for Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 100 days left — Early Action
Early Action
November 15
Decision by: December 15
Regular Decision
February 1
💡 The scholarship deadline (November 15, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Elizabethtown College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Elizabethtown College is 3.66. That makes admissions here highly selective. Most admitted students carry mostly A's with the occasional B.
Between 3.36 and 3.66? A strong standardized test score is worth prioritizing.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.86–4.06.Elizabethtown College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Selective; solid academic performance is expected.
Recommended Strategy: Focus on a Strong 'Spike' in extracurriculars or research.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.66 – 4.00
Target/Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.46 – 3.65
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.26 – 3.45
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.25
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Etown's OT program has reached capacity for fall 2026; new applicants are being placed on a waitlist reviewed daily as seats open.
- The Pre-Medical Primary Care Program (early assurance with Penn State College of Medicine) requires PA residency (preference for rural/underserved areas), top-10% class rank or strong upward trajectory, a 3.5 GPA by junior year, and an MCAT score of 511+.
- The PA program uses three staged deadlines (Priority Nov. 3, General Dec. 3, Final Jan. 15) and is one of only two colleges nationally with an Early Assurance Program directly into Penn State's PA program.
- General first-year admission does not require a personal essay, though international applicants must submit a 250-word statement of purpose.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Elizabethtown College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Elizabethtown College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Elizabethtown College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Elizabethtown College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Elizabethtown College Without SAT or ACT?
Elizabethtown College considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Elizabethtown College Average SAT Score: 1190
The average SAT score of admitted students at Elizabethtown College is 1190 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1190 — Less Competitive
This average is slightly below the national mean SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1280 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Elizabethtown College allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1090, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Elizabethtown College. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 580 | 530 | 630 |
| SAT Reading | 605 | 560 | 650 |
| SAT Composite | 1190 | 1090 | 1280 |
Below 1090, you're behind most admitted students; at 1280 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1200
Can I get into Elizabethtown College with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of Elizabethtown College's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Elizabethtown College ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Elizabethtown College is 24.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 24 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average ACT score.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 23 | 19 | 27 |
| ACT English | 24 | 19 | 29 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 19 | 29 |
Can I get into Elizabethtown College with a 29 ACT?
A 29 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Elizabethtown College's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at Elizabethtown College.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Elizabethtown College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Elizabethtown College isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Check Occupational Therapy's live capacity status before building your application around it
Etown's OT program has reached capacity for fall 2026, and new applications are being placed directly on a waitlist rather than reviewed for open seats - a real-time status change that generic "top programs" lists won't reflect. If OT is your target, apply anyway to secure waitlist position (seats do open as admitted students confirm other plans), but have a genuine second-choice major ready rather than assuming a seat will materialize.
Target the Pre-Medical Primary Care Program's Pennsylvania residency and rural/underserved preference specifically
Etown's early-assurance pathway to Penn State College of Medicine explicitly prioritizes Pennsylvania residents from rural or medically underserved areas, requires top-10%-class-rank or a strong upward academic trajectory, and needs a junior-year GPA of 3.5 overall and in science/math plus an MCAT score of 511+ by spring of junior year. If you're a PA resident from an underserved area with a strong science record, name that specific background explicitly in your application - it's a stated selection criterion, not just a nice biographical detail.
Apply to the PA program on its staged deadline system, not a single date
Elizabethtown's Physician Assistant program uses three sequential deadlines - Priority (Nov. 3), General (Dec. 3), and Final (Jan. 15) - where earlier applicants are reviewed in a less-crowded pool. Submit by the Priority deadline specifically if PA is a serious goal, since Etown is one of only two colleges nationally offering an Early Assurance Program directly with Penn State College of Medicine's PA program.
Use the PCOM osteopathic medicine pathway if you want a DO option beyond the Penn State MD/PA tracks
Beyond its Penn State partnerships, Etown offers a preferred admission agreement with Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) for a DO/B.S. 4+4 pathway, requiring a 3.5 GPA in science courses and overall by the end of junior year, and is open to current Etown students applying in their second or third year. If Penn State's MD program feels like a reach, this PCOM pathway is a genuine parallel option within Etown's own health-professions ecosystem rather than a completely separate application process.
Expert Insight:
A costly and current mistake is treating Etown's Occupational Therapy program as an open target simply because the college's general admission is not highly selective - the OT program has specifically reached capacity for fall 2026, and applicants who don't check this status before applying may be surprised to land on a waitlist rather than receive a straightforward admission decision, unlike the college's general first-year process.
Elizabethtown College Profile
Full Name
Elizabethtown College
City
Elizabethtown
State
Pennsylvania
ZIP Code
17022-2298
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSACHE)
Is a Elizabethtown College Degree Worth It?
Elizabethtown College offers a rigorous academic environment, but 'worth it' is a personal calculation of cost, program fit, and outcomes. The figures below are a starting point.
The average household income among admitted students is $70,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.54%.
How much does a degree from Elizabethtown College Cost?
The sticker price is $49,318/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
19.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 66.6% take federal loans at Elizabethtown College. File your FAFSA early and list Elizabethtown College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Elizabethtown College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $62,399. That's about 54% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Elizabethtown College. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery, AL | 1148 | 23 |
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | 1140 | 25 |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| Georgia College & State University | Milledgeville, GA | 1150 | 24 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | 1149 | 23 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI | 1155 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Elizabethtown College. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Elizabethtown College. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
Degree Programs at Elizabethtown College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Elizabethtown College Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Elizabethtown College run about $62,399 a year.
Elizabethtown College costs roughly $49,318 a year, and most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
Elizabethtown College's Pell Grant rate of 19.2% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 76.8%, Elizabethtown College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Elizabethtown College average a 3.66 GPA.
Elizabethtown College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.36 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.26, Elizabethtown College becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Elizabethtown College — aim above 1190, ideally within the 1090–1280 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Elizabethtown College is November 15 for Early Action applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 15.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is November 15, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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